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Mungeshpur tops with 49.2 degrees Celsius in northwest Delhi and 49.1 degrees Celsius at Najafgarh in southwest; All weather stations recorded a heatwave day
 "Live: Delhi turns into hot cauldron; mercury leaps to 49°C in some parts")
1 min read Last Updated : May 15 2022 | 11:40 PM IST
11:40 PM
BJP and Karni Sena leader Suraj Pal Ammu was allegedly attacked in a condolence meeting here on Sunday, police said.
According to the FIR lodged at the Sohna City police station, Pawan Verma, a friend of Ammu, hit the BJP leader with the butt of a revolver around 4.45 during a condolence meeting at a dharamshala.
Ammu in his complaint said the accused had grabbed his property.
People present on the occasion announced social boycott of the accused.
The complaint has been registered under Sections 323 (causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC and Section 25 (1B) (a) of the Arms Act at Sohna City police station.
11:38 PM
Taking a dig at ex-prime minister Imran Khan for claiming that the US conspired against his ouster, Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Sunday that the conspiracy to topple the PTI government was not hatched inside the White House but in Bilawal House.
Addressing a rally in Karachi, the foreign minister said contrary to Khan's claims, there was no foreign conspiracy against him and he was only ousted through a democratic process which is a victory both for the country's parliament and political workers.
"We used the no-confidence vote as a democratic weapon against Imran Khan and brought his government down," Bilawal said as he explained how the "conspiracy" was planned, The Express Tribune newspaper reported.
"Imran Khan was never your or people's representative... he was imposed upon us. He assumed power but he failed to deliver on a single promise, he said.
Bilawal said Khan promised five million homes and 10 million jobs and vowed to eliminate corruption in 90 days, but the PTI government was involved in record corruption.
He said Khan destroyed Pakistan and made the common man's life miserable. Bilawal said akin to his cricketing days, Khan tried ball tempering in politics too but failed.
"He attacked the constitution via his speaker as he was trying to escape from the no-confidence motion," he said.
After attacking parliament, Khan is now targeting the judiciary and the army, he said.
"Basically, he is asking why did they not save his government... he wanted them to take undemocratic steps to save him," he said. Khan blames the US for sending his government home. He said he had asked the military establishment to intervene and save his government but it did nothing.
Highlighting the former government's failures, Bilawal said China has always been Pakistan's best friend but due to the confusing policies of Khan, Beijing also got annoyed.
"His policies were confusing... on one hand he was criticising Narendra Modi but also kept calling him but did not get any response and he also kept calling Joe Biden but he also didn't give any diligence," he added.
Bilawal said it was the PPP's efforts that led to the formation of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) an alliance of former opposition parties, the Dawn newspaper reported.
Forgetting our political differences, together with other parties, we formed the PDM and on September 20, 2020, when we laid the basis for PDM, we had clearly said we would do long marches and protests and that we would also struggle inside parliament and send the PTI government home through a vote of no-confidence," Bilawal recalled.
He explained that personal and political differences were forgotten during times of hardship in favour of "national interest", the report said.
"The PPP is ready for elections as soon as we bring in our election reforms and act on the Charter of Democracy," he said.
Khan, the cricketer-turned-politician, was voted out of power last month through a no-confidence motion, which he alleges was masterminded by the US with the help of local players over his pursuance of an independent foreign policy. His supporters used social media to target the army for doing nothing to save his government.
The state institutions like the judiciary and the military have been severely criticised since the Imran Khan-led government was ousted from power through a no-confidence motion. Since then, Khan held several public rallies in different cities, labelling the new government as traitors and corrupt rulers allegedly imposed at the behest of the US.
Since his ouster, he has blamed the US for conspiring against his government a stance that the incumbent government has refuted.
11:21 PM
West Bengal on Sunday recorded 40 new COVID-19 cases, 17 less than the previous day, with the tally rising to 20,18,860, the health department said in a bulletin.
At least 45 people recuperated from the disease in the last 24 hours, pushing the total number of recoveries to 19,97,241, it said.
The recovery rate was 98.93 per cent, while the positivity ratio stood at 0.50 per cent.
Fifty-seven coronavirus cases were reported the previous day, while 43 had recovered from the infection.
The death toll remained at 21,203 as no new fatality due to the infection was reported in the last 24 hours, the bulletin said..
West Bengal now has 416 active patients and twelve of them are being treated in hospitals.
Altogether 8,080 sample tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, it added.
11:20 PM
Heatwave conditions wreaked havoc in Rajasthan, although some places recorded a drop of two to three degrees Celsius in the maximum temperature on Sunday.
Churu and Hanumangarh were the hottest places in the state, recording 47.9 degrees Celsius each.
According to the meteorological department, the maximum temperature in many districts was above 47 degrees Celsius.
Pilani, Jhunjhunu and Dholpur experienced 47.7 degrees Celsius each, Sri Ganganagar 47.6 degrees, Karauli 47.3 and Alwar 47.2 degrees Celsius. In major cities, the temperature on Saturday night was recorded in the range of 33.1 degrees Celsius to 25.8 degrees Celsius.
According to the India Meteorological Department, the capital city Jaipur recorded a maximum temperature of 44.4 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 33.1 degrees Celsius.
Meanwhile, a fire broke out on Sunday near the banks of the Indira Gandhi Canal at Bajju in Bikaner. Bajju Station House Officer Bhup Singh said more than 1,000 trees came under the grip of the fire that spread in an area stretching more than three kilometres.
Teams from the forest department and police tried to douse the fire, he said.
Prima facie it appeared that excess heat was the cause of the fire, the SHO said.
11:01 PM
Senior leaders of Jammu and Kashmir BJP on Sunday faced protesters' ire when they visited the migrant colony at Sheikhpura in Budgam district as a Kashmiri Pandit woman tore into the Union Territory government over the killing of Rahul Bhat earlier this week.
The woman, who broke down while making the point on behalf of her community, said the BJP delegation, led by party's Jammu and Kashmir unit president Ravinder Raina, had come to visit them only because they felt that they were losing ground in the state.
"Where were they when tear gas shells were fired on us? When they realised that we have come together at all places, and that their impression is gone, they held a meeting with the LG (Lieutenant Governor) sahib and they were sent to calm us down. If you are really grieved, sit with us here without security," the unidentified woman told the BJP delegation.
An 88-second video clip of the woman hitting out at the BJP leaders at the protest site is being shared on social media.
The BJP delegation had earlier called on LG Manoj Sinha and submitted a memorandum, demanding measures to ensure safety of Kashmiri Pandits in the valley.
Bhat, who had got the job of a clerk under the special employment package for Kashmiri Pandits 2010-11, was gunned down by terrorists inside the tehsil office in Chadoora town on Thursday.
The woman said the men and children of the Kashmiri Pandit community are not safe amidst words of encouragement and support from her community members.
10:59 PM
Unfortunately in our country, the history that has been forced upon us has been propaganda of 'West', Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Sunday.
"What they thought about us was that we are the land of snake charmers. They thought that we were a country of the poor. My question is did they invade us because we are poor? The answer is definitely no," Sawant said.
Sawant was speaking after releasing the book 'Savarkar (Part 2): A Contested Legacy, 1924-1966, by noted historian Vikram Sampath, during the closing session of Kumaon Literary Festival.
Dr. Bibek Debroy, Chairman, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India and Sumant Batra, Founder of Indian Cinema Heritage Foundation were also present.
"Savarkar was the first person to challenge vicious propaganda by 'West' through his book '1857 Ka Swatantra Samar'. History has to be fact driven and not opinion driven," Sawant said.
"He challenged the British empire and fought against them. This book ignited the flame of patriotism among many youths. After independence, some sections spread lies, falsehood against him," Sawant said.
10:34 PM
Digital payments and financial services company Paytm on Sunday said it will seek a new general insurance license with a fresh application, aimed at gaining majority shareholding with a 74 per cent upfront equity stake.
In a regulatory filing, Paytm reiterated its intention to make inroads in the general insurance sector, as it is extremely bullish about its potential.
Paytm said it remains bullish on its roadmap for general insurance, "and we intend to seek requisite approvals for a new general insurance license, wherein we hold a 74% majority shareholding upfront."
Paytm is synonymous with digital payments in India - having pioneered QR code and wallet trends in the country. It has also successfully forayed into financial services as its partner-based lending business has recorded rapid growth.
This, along with the growing technology-led insurance penetration in India, now gives the company confidence to file for a new application, where One 97 Communications Ltd - the parent firm of Paytm - will have a direct majority shareholding instead of the earlier proposed fully diluted shareholding of 11%.
The decision to seek approval for a new license comes after Paytm and Raheja QBE mutually agreed to discontinue the proposed acquisition of RQBE.
10:26 PM
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Sunday said the Centre's initiatives to raise income of farmers have started yielding benefits to them and urged cultivators to adopt technology in farming to ensure higher productivity and better profit.
Addressing an agriculture conclave here, he expressed concern over the financial condition of growers in Odisha and said there are opportunities for them to increase their income.
"The government under the leadership of PM Shri @narendramodi is committed to increase the income of farmers. In the last eight years, the government has undertaken several initiatives, results of which are starting to pay off today," the PIB Odisha said quoting Tomar, in a Twitter post.
The minister's statement holds significance as Odisha stood at the second position from the bottom in a list of states in terms of farmers' income in the country, according to a survey conducted by National Statistical Office (NSO) in 2019.
Tomar advised farmers in the eastern state to adopt technology in farming to secure higher profits.
"Benefits to farmers don't come overnight as it takes time to get results. The central government implemented several schemes and initiatives in the last eight years and they have started paying dividends now," he said.
The minister said those farmers who use technology and diversify crops are getting benefits.
10:24 PM
Telangana on Sunday recorded 28 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total number of cases to 7,92,599 so far, said a bulletin from the Health Department.
No fresh fatality due to the infection was reported today and the death toll continued to be 4,111, it said.
Hyderabad recorded the highest number of 25 cases.
A total of 44 people recuperated from the infection today,taking the cumulative number of recoveries to 7,88,080 till date.
The active cases stood at 408, the bulletin said.
A total of 9,019 samples were tested today and the total number examined till date was 3,48,21,817. The case fatality rate was 0.51 per cent and the recovery rate 99.43 per cent.
10:18 PM
Santosh Kumar (41) whose wife Ranju Devi (34) was among those killed in the deadly fire in Mundka, identified her body through her turtle-shaped ring and two bangles -- the only items that remained unburnt on her charred body.
The massive blaze that ripped through the four-storey building in outer Delhi's Mundka on Friday claimed at least 27 lives, while 19 people are still missing and there is little hope of finding survivors.
"I was at work when I got the news of fire at her workplace. I rushed there and waited for three hours but could not find her. Later, I rushed to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital but I could not get any information about her," he said.
"I went to the hospital on Saturday morning again. The staff took me to the mortuary at 2 pm where I identified her through her ring and bangles -- one red and the other white. I received her body from the hospital at 4.30 pm and did all the rituals yesterday," an emotional Santosh told PTI on Sunday.
A resident of Bhagya Vihar in Mundka, Santosh works as a mason and has three children. He said his wife had joined the company, where the fire broke out, only seven months ago.
Santosh is not the only person in the locality to have lost a loved one in Friday's fire tragedy.
A sense of gloom, despair and restlessness prevailed in Bhagya Vihar, which is located near Mundka Industrial Area. The area is inhabited largely by people working in factories and industries in the region and many victims of the fire tragedy resided here.
Vishwajeet Kumar (41), husband of deceased Yashoda Devi (35), said she took up the job at the factory to help him repay the debt after their daughter's wedding.
Vishwajeet works at a coal factory in Rajasthan's Alwar. He rushed to Delhi soon after he learnt about the tragedy.
10:17 PM
Karnataka on Sunday reported 126 fresh Covid-19 cases, taking the total infections to 39,49,675 so far, while there were zero fatalities, the Health Department said.
In its bulletin, the department said there were 1,891 active cases while 103 people were discharged.
The State today conducted 18,566 tests including 14,409 RT-PCR tests.
The majority of cases came from Bengaluru urban district which reported 118 infections today. The city had 1,810 active cases. There were infections in six other districts, including two each in Hassan and Ballari.
The department said 24 districts reported zero infections and nil fatalities. The positivity rate for the day was 0.67 per cent.
As many as 6,604 inoculations were done in the State, taking the total vaccinated to 107.2 million till date.
10:16 PM
Truth about Gyanvapi mosque, Taj Mahal and Krishna Janmabhoomi in Uttar Pradesh and all other disputed places in the country should come out before the people, senior RSS leader Indresh Kumar said on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event here, he said the people want to know the truth about these places as they feel that it will help the country get "a right direction".
It's not out of any grudge against anybody or due to some politics that people want to know the truth of these places, he added.
"A discussion is going on about the Gyanvapi, Taj Mahal, Krishna Janmabhoomi and various other places in the country. Everyone wants to know the truth (about them). It's is not out of any grudge against anyone or due to some politics," the RSS leader told the reporters in response to their queries.
Common people feel that the more truth about these places comes out the more it will help the country get a right direction.
Kumar, who is RSS national executive member, appealed to the people to rise above their caste, community, region, religion, and party, and help the court bring out truth about "such disputes".
10:15 PM
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is heading to Northern Ireland on Monday to try to end a political deadlock that is preventing the formation of a regional administration.
The trip comes amid threats by Johnson's government to break the Brexit agreement with the European Union that it blames for the crisis.
Voters in Northern Ireland elected a new Assembly this month, in an election that saw Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein win the most seats. It was the first time a party that seeks union with the Republic of Ireland has won an election in the bastion of Protestant unionist power.
The Democratic Unionist Party came second and is refusing to form a government, or even allow the assembly to sit, until Johnson's government scraps post-Brexit checks on goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the U.K.
Under power-sharing rules set up as part of Northern Ireland's peace process, a government can't be formed without the cooperation of both nationalist and unionist parties.
10:14 PM
More than 400 candidates have been booked by the Assam Police recently for allegedly submitting fake certificates for recruitment into the force, a top officer said on Sunday.
The officer also said that the CID has taken up the case and a probe has been launched into the matter.
Addressing a press conference here, Director General of Police Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta said discrepancies in the documents came to light during the verification process.
"Before declaring the final result, we verified the computer efficiency certificate of every candidate through respective superintendents of police. During the verification, 414 certificates were found fake, he said.
9:42 PM
Hitting out at Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday sought to liken the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state with the Babri mosque structure and said he would not rest till the Shiv Sena-led dispensation was brought down from power.
He also said that the Shiv Sena does not mean Mumbai, Maharashtra or Hindutva, and added that nobody can separate Mumbai from the state, but he wants to free the city from "corruption and misdeeds".
Fadnavis was addressing 'Hindi Bhashi Mahasankalp Sabha' organised by the BJP's North Indian cell in suburban Goregaon, a day after Uddhav Thackeray's rally in the city, where he had slammed Fadnavis and the BJP. Fadnavis's rally began with the chanting of Hanuman Chalisa.
Elections to several other civic bodies in the state, including Mumbai, which was ruled by the Shiv Sena for more than 25 years, are due this year.
Describing Thackeray's rally as a "laughter show", Fadnavis said, "This man had never spoken about the state's development, progress and welfare of people in the two-and-a-half years (of his rule)."
"One doesn't become a tiger just by clicking photographs of tigers. There is only one tiger now - Narendra Modi," he said.
9:38 PM
A new centre for Assam Rifles Ex-Servicemen Association (ARESA) was inaugurated at Kozhikode in Kerala on Sunday.
The latest addition to the association, which has 30 centres across the country, was opened by Lieutenant General P C Nair, AVSM, YSM, DG Assam Rifles, said a release from the association.
ARESA aims to extend welfare-related facilities to all veterans and families of the Assam Rifles, the release said.
During the inaugural function, the ex-servicemen were made aware of the welfare-related schemes and financial grants available to those from the force, it said.
"During the course of the last six months, Assam Rifles has granted an amount of Rs 2.68 crore as financial grants and benefits to veterans and veer naris (widows of the armed personnel)," the release said.
9:36 PM
Jet Airways on Sunday conducted the first set of three proving flights with 18 people, including officials of the aviation regulator DGCA, on board the aircraft, sources said.
The second set of two proving flights will be operated by Jet Airways on Tuesday, they said.
Proving flights is the last step for the airline to obtain the air operator certificate (AOC).
The first of the three proving flights was conducted on the Delhi-Mumbai route, sources said.
The second flight was scheduled to return to Delhi, but after it departed from Mumbai, officials of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) asked the pilots to divert it to Ahmedabad, they said.
The DGCA diverts aircraft during proving flights to test the readiness of a new airline in handling such situations, they said.
The second flight safely landed in Ahmedabad, and sometime after that, the third flight was conducted on the Ahmedabad-Delhi route, they mentioned.
The aircraft used for these three proving flights was a Boeing 737 plane with registration number VT-SXE of Jet Airways, they said.
9:28 PM
The AAP on Sunday held the BJP responsible for the death of 27 people in the Mundka fire, alleging that "illegal industrial activities" were going on in the building as its owner Manish Lakra enjoyed protection from leaders of the saffron party.
The BJP, however, said Lakra is neither its member nor has he ever held any position in the party.
Lakra was arrested on Sunday in connection with the May 13 fire that ripped through the four-storey building that did not have a fire safety certificate or firefighting equipment.
Addressing a press conference here, senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Durgesh Pathak showed some pictures in which Lakra is seen with some BJP leaders, including former North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) mayor Master Azad Singh.
"Lakra is a BJP man. That's why MCD gave him protection and illegal industrial activities continued in the building," Pathak charged, adding "the BJP and its leaders are responsible for the death of 27 people in the tragic incident of fire in the building. They were all hand in glove".
The AAP leader demanded that a thorough probe be conducted into the incident and the strictest action be taken against all those responsible, including those from the BJP who gave protection to Lakra and allowed the illegal activities to continue in the building in violation of rules.
"Lakra and BJP MP Parvesh Verma's uncle Master Azad Singh have deep ties," Pathak alleged.
9:05 PM
Karnataka BJP's vice-president and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa's son B Y Vijayendra on Sunday preferred to wait till the final decision comes from the BJP parliamentary board regarding his candidature for the legislative council election.
"It has come to my notice that my name has been recommended during the BJP core committee meeting, which was held on Saturday, as one of the candidates for the four MLC seats the party is going to win," Vijayendra told reporters.
"However, it's the central parliamentary board of the party, which will take a final call. So it's premature (to celebrate). Let's wait because the final decision has to come from Delhi. Probably, it may take two to three days," the former Chief Minister's son said.
The BJP leader was reacting to the news that his name is among the 20 names recommended by the core committee to contest the Rajya Sabha and legislative council elections next month.
Biennial elections to four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka -- two each in graduates and teachers constituencies of the state Legislative Council will be held on June 10 and 13 respectively.
Also, biennial elections to the Karnataka Legislative Council for seven seats will be held on June 3.
Vijayendra expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, State BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel, senior leaders of the party and core committee members for recommending his name.
9:05 PM
The COVID-19 tally in Madhya Pradesh reached 10,41,945 on Sunday after the detection of 42 cases at a positivity rate of 0.5 per cent, while the death toll remained unchanged at 10,735, an official said.
The recovery count increased by 24 to touch 10,30,948, leaving the state with 262 active cases, he added.
With 7,780 samples examined during the day, the number of tests in MP went up to 2,91,93,258, the official said.
A government release said 11,82,94,228 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered so far in the state, including 1,180 on Sunday.
Coronavirus figures in MP are as follows: Total cases 10,41,945, new cases 42, death toll 10,735, recoveries 10,30,948, active cases 262, number of tests so far 2,91,93,258.
8:47 PM
Almost three months after Russia shocked the world by invading Ukraine, its military faced a bogged-down war, the prospect of a bigger NATO and an opponent buoyed by its wins on and off the battlefield Sunday.
Finland decided to seek NATO membership as top diplomats from the Western alliance met in Berlin.
The leaders of the militarily neutral country said the invasion had changed Europe's security landscape, although NATO's chief declared that Russia's war in Ukraine is not going as Moscow had planned.
Ukraine can win this war, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said, adding that the alliance must continue to give the country military support.
Sweden's governing party plans to announce its position on applying to join NATO later Sunday.
8:45 PM
Mumbai on Sunday reported 151 COVID-19 cases and one death, taking the tally here to 10,61,614 and the toll to 19,566, a civic official said.
The recovery count increased by 122 to touch 10,41,163, leaving the metropolis with 885 cases, he added.
With 7,822 samples being examined in the last 24 hours, the overall number of tests conducted went up to 1,70,11,472, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation official said.
BMC data showed the city's recovery rate was 98 per cent and the caseload doubling time was 5,855 days.
8:44 PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday termed the Thomas Cup triumph of the Indian badminton team as one of the country's finest sporting wins and invited the shuttlers to his residence on returning from Bangkok.
The PM never forgets to applaud the achievements of athletes, and on Sunday, he promptly dialled the players to congratulate them on their stupendous success, thanked their parents for helping them develop into world beaters and doing the country proud with their exploits on the global stage.
The Indian men's team produced a historic performance to blank 14-time winners Indonesia 3-0 in the summit showdown of the prestigious tournament.
"You all have made it ... It is one of India's finest sporting wins," PM Modi said during the call.
Flanked by his teammates, Kidambi Srikanth spoke to the PM first, followed by Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy and Chirag Shetty.
The PM also took note of the fact the Indian team won the final without dropping a match, and mentioned it during the interaction with the players. He said it made the win even more special.
The PM said his office would coordinate the players' visit to his residence.
Aware of India's record in the tournament, the PM asked when did the team start to think that it could go all the way to pull off a win of this magnitude and create history.
8:43 PM
Union Minister for Heavy Industries Mahendra Nath Pandey on Sunday called on Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang at his official residence here, a release said.
In the courtesy call, Pandey was accompanied by Rajya Sabha member Seema Dwivedi and Secretary for Ministry of Heavy Industries, Arun Goel.
Pandey expressed happiness about the successful implementation of the Sikkim Garib Awas Yojana, a scheme facilitating housing for the poor, and lauded the development initiatives of the Tamang government.
Tamang said he had approached Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the allotment of 5 acres of land in Ayodhya for constructing a guest house for pilgrims from the Himalayan state.
He said the Sikkim government is also looking forward to the construction of another guest house in Varanasi.
Pandey assured Tamang that he will apprise the matter to Adityanath for necessary patronage.
8:40 PM
Tamil Nadu on Sunday logged 30 new COVID-19 infections, pushing the tally to 34,54,621 till date. The death toll remained unchanged at 38,025 with zero fatalities recorded in the last 24 hours.
Chennai accounted for 16 new infections, Chengalpet recorded seven, Coimbatore and Tiruchirappalli recorded two each while Cuddalore, Sivagangai and Tiruvallur saw one case each.
The number of people who recovered from the disease rose to 34,16,237 with 79 more getting discharged in the last 24 hours.
Tamil Nadu currently has 359 active cases.
Among those tested positive include 19 men and 11 women.
The State capital - Chennai - leads among districts with 199 active infections and 7,52,096 cases overall.
A total of 16,027 samples were tested in the last 24 hours, pushing the cumulative number of tests to 6,64,04,505 so far, the bulletin said.
8:39 PM
A Muslim group has urged Congress President Sonia Gandhi to field at least one candidate of the community from Rajasthan for the Rajya Sabha elections, to be held next month.
Making the demand, the Rajasthan Muslim Alliance gave a copy of its letter to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot as well as Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Out of 10 Rajya Sabha seats from Rajasthan, four are falling vacant in June 2022.
Going by the number of Congress MLAs in Rajasthan, of the four vacant Rajya Sabha seats from the state, at least three party candidates are likely to win the polls for the Upper House, the Muslim group's coordinator Mohsin Rasheed Khan said in a statement.
He also claimed that neither Congress nor BJP has made any effort to send any Muslim candidate to the Rajya Sabha in the last 11 years.
The term of four Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan -- Om Mathur, K J Alphons, Ram Kumar Verma and Harshvardhan Singh -- is going to end next month.
8:38 PM
Heads of missions from 14 countries will participate in an interaction with BJP president Jagat Prakash Nadda on Monday at the party's headquarters here as part of its "Know BJP" initiative.
Nadda had launched the exercise on the party's foundation day on April 6 specifically to address the overseas audience and had then interacted with heads of missions of 13 countries.
The party said in a statement that it intends to continue such interactions with small groups of foreign diplomats in future too, and exchanges of delegations with political parties from different countries are also being planned.
Under the ongoing initiative, the party will present detailed information on its historical journey, ideology, structure and ongoing activities, it said, noting that Nadda will elaborate on them.
He will also address queries from the guests, the party said. A documentary film depicting the journey of the Jan Sangh and Bharatiya Janata Party will also be shown during the programme.
8:28 PM
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday visited the UAE and offered condolences to the UAE leadership on the demise of former President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and reaffirmed that India and its people stand by the UAE at this difficult time.
Sheikh Khalifa passed away on Friday after battling illness for several years. He was 73.
Vice President Naidu, on landing here at noon, went straight to Mushrif Palace and offered his condolences to Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, newly-elected President of the UAE, the royal family and the entire leadership of the UAE, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.
He conveyed the condolences of President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and reiterated that India and its people stand by the UAE at this difficult time.
Naidu fondly recalled that under the leadership of Sheikh Khalifa, the India-UAE ties prospered greatly to the mutual benefit of the people of the two countries and also that Sheikh Khalifa took exceptional care of the large Indian community in UAE, who held him in high esteem, the MEA statement said.
8:27 PM
Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party's National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced 'People's Welfare Alliance', which is an alliance of AAP with Kerala's Twenty20 party, ahead of Thrikkakkara assembly byelection.
Kejriwal on Sunday highlighted the journey of the party over the years in various parts of the country.
Kejriwal addressed the gathering in the presence of Twenty20 Party head Sabu Jacob.
The Election Commission of India has scheduled the by-election to the Thrikkakara assembly constituency for May 31. Votes will be counted on June 3.
Addressing a public gathering of Twenty20 Party and AAP Kerala volunteers in Kochi today, the Delhi Chief Minister said, "Now, there will be four political alliances in Kerala--LDF, UDF, NDA and the name of our alliance will be People's Welfare Alliance."
"Kerala is God's own place. Such a beautiful place, such beautiful people! 10 years ago, nobody knew Arvind Kejriwal. Today, we have governments in Delhi and Punjab. This was all because of God. Now, who wants AAP to form government in Kerala?" he asked.
"When I fasted for 15 days, doctors said I won't survive. But here I am. All because of God. Our newly formed party's candidates including homemakers, students, and mobile repairers, defeated the sitting Chief Minister of Punjab and Delhi. All because of God," the AAP national convenor said.
8:25 PM
Pakistan will try to instigate people in the name of religion but its attempts to spread terror and propaganda will be foiled, BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit chief Ravinder Raina said on Sunday, days after a bus in Katra carrying passengers caught fire mysteriously.
Four persons were killed and 24 others injured on Friday when a fire ripped apart the moving bus, mostly carrying devotees, near Nomai, about 3 kilometres from Katra, shortly after it left for Jammu from the base camp for the pilgrims visiting Mata Vaishno Devi.
"The NIA investigation has pointed at the use of a sticky bomb," Raina told reporters here.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday said a detailed forensic probe is continuing to identify the reason for the cause of the fire in the passenger bus near Katra town.
Though the survivors and the people residing in the vicinity of the incident spoke about hearing a sound of an explosion in the bus, Additional Director General (ADG) of Police, Jammu zone, Mukesh Singh on Friday had said that the initial probe does not point to use of any explosive.
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First Published: May 15 2022 | 6:57 AM IST
